Kuwait national under-23 football team

Last updated

Kuwait Under-23
Nickname(s) Al-Azraq (The Blue)
Association Kuwait Football Association
Confederation AFC (Asia)
Sub-confederation WAFF (West Asia)
Head coach Emílio Peixe
Captain Abdulaziz Naji
FIFA code KUW
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long.svg
First colours
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long.svg
Second colours
Summer Olympics
Appearances3 (first in 1980 )
Best resultQuarter-finals (1980)
AFC U-23 Asian Cup
Appearances3 (first in 2013 )
Best resultGroup stage (2013, 2022, 2024)

The Kuwait national under-23 football team is the youth association football team representing Kuwait in youth competitions and it is controlled by Kuwait Football Association. Kuwait under 23 Could also be called as Kuwait Olympic Team. Kuwait under 23 also represents its country in the Olympic Games. From 1900 to 1976 Kuwait did not qualify for the Olympic Games but in 1980 Kuwait qualified for the Olympic Games in China and had the best record of their country finishing in the quarter-finals of that Olympic games. Kuwait missed the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games. But in 1992 Kuwait finally qualified for the 1992 Olympic Games in Spain, however with their poor performance, Kuwait was eliminated in the first round of that tournament. After that Kuwait had missed the 1996 Olympic Games that was hosted by the United States, Kuwait then qualified for the 2000 Olympic Games in Australia and that was the last time Kuwait qualified for the Olympic Games. Kuwait has never won the GCC U-23 Championship but their best finish at that Competition was as a runner up in 2010. In the 2022 Asian U-23 qualification Cup Group D, Kuwait managed to defeat Bangladesh by 1-0 [1] and Saudi Arabia by 2-1, [2] this resulted in Kuwait to qualify for the 2022 U-23 Asian Cup.

Contents

Honours

Regional honours

Runners-up (2): 2010, 2015

Minor

History

Kuwait’s first-ever qualification to the Olympic games was in the 1980 Olympic Games which Kuwait were eliminated in the quarter-finals of that Olympic games. Kuwait missed the 1984 Olympic Games and the 1988 Olympic Games. Kuwait came back to the Olympic Games in 1992 after missing two events being eliminated in the quarter-final of that event. Kuwait did not qualify until the 2000 Olympic Games and that was the last time Kuwait qualified for the Olympic games. Kuwait did not qualify to the Olympic Games in 2004 after being eliminated in the qualifying Preliminary round 3 of the Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Qualifiers at the third position of the 3rd group. Kuwait was unqualified from Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Qualifier, with 2 being 4 goals less than Qatar due to that, Kuwait missed the 2008 Olympic Games. Kuwait also failed to participate in the 2012 Olympic Games after losing Football at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Qualifiers, within losing the first leg to Japan 3-1 but then Kuwait defeated Japan 2-1, Japan won on the aggregate. Kuwait does not have a good record at GCC U-23 Championship after finishing 5th in the final group of the 2008 GCC U-23 Championship. Kuwait was at the bottom of the table at that time. In 2010 Kuwait was the runner-up of their group. Kuwait was qualified for the semi-finals, Kuwait defeated Oman 5-4 on penalties. But lost to UAE. In the 2011 and 2012 GCC U-23 Championship, Kuwait was unfortunately eliminated in the first round with 0 points losing all three games.

Participation in Tournaments

Summer Olympics

Summer Olympics record
YearResultPositionGPWDLGFGASquad
19001988 See Kuwait national football team
Flag of Spain.svg 1992 Group stage16th300316 Squad
Flag of the United States.svg 1996 did not qualify
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2000 Group stage12th310268 Squad
Flag of Greece.svg 2004 did not qualify
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg 2008
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2012
Flag of Brazil.svg 2016
Flag of Japan.svg 2020
Flag of France.svg 2024
Flag of the United States.svg 2028 to be determined
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2032
TotalGroup stage2/116105714

Asian Games

From 2002 Asian Games, at the first tournament to be played in an under-23 format.
YearRoundGPWD*LGSGA
Flag of South Korea.svg 2002 -430191
Flag of Qatar.svg 2006 -320151
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg 2010 -420244
Flag of South Korea.svg 2014 -310267
Total4/4148061913

AFC U-23 Asian Cup

YearRoundGPWD*LGSGA
Flag of Oman.svg 2013 Group stage301214
Flag of Qatar.svg 2016 Did not qualify
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg 2018
Flag of Thailand.svg 2020
Flag of Uzbekistan.svg 2022 Group stage300316
Flag of Qatar.svg 2024 Group stage310239
Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg 2026 Did not qualify
Total3/79117519

Kuwait's fixtures and results

2024

17 April 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup Vietnam  Flag of Vietnam.svg3–1Flag of Kuwait.svg  Kuwait Al Wakrah, Qatar
18:30
Report
Stadium: Al Janoub Stadium
Referee: Abdulla Al-Marri (Qatar)
20 April 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup Kuwait  Flag of Kuwait.svg0–5Flag of Uzbekistan.svg  Uzbekistan Al Wakrah, Qatar
18:30 Report
Stadium: Al Janoub Stadium
Referee: Hanna Hattab (Syria)
23 April 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup Kuwait  Flag of Kuwait.svg2–1Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia Al Wakrah, Qatar
18:30Stadium: Al Janoub Stadium
Referee: Alex King (Australia)

2025

21 August Friendly Kuwait  Flag of Kuwait.svg1–0Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia Thailand
--:--  Al-Enezi Soccerball shade.svg41' Report
28 August Friendly Kuwait  Flag of Kuwait.svg1–0Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia Thailand
--:--  Al-Enezi Soccerball shade.svg16' Report
3 September 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification Kuwait  Flag of Kuwait.svg0-0Flag of Myanmar.svg  Myanmar Yangon, Myanmar
16:00  UTC+6:30 Report Stadium: Thuwunna Stadium
Attendance: 1,800
Referee: Nasrullo Kabirov (Tajikistan)
6 September 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification Afghanistan  Flag of Afghanistan (2013-2021).svg0-1Flag of Kuwait.svg  Kuwait Yangon, Myanmar
19:00  UTC+6:30 Report Stadium: Thuwunna Stadium
Attendance: 37
Referee: Ahmed Eisa Darwish (United Arab Emirates)
9 September 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification Japan  Flag of Japan.svg6-1Flag of Kuwait.svg  Kuwait Yangon, Myanmar
19:00  UTC+6:30
Report
Stadium: Thuwunna Stadium
Attendance: 85
Referee: Tuan Yaasin (Malaysia)

Players

Current squad

No.Pos.PlayerDate of birth (age)Club
1 GK Abdulrahman Al-Harbi (2003-10-03) 3 October 2003 (age 21) Flag of Kuwait.svg Al-Tadamon
1 GK Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli (2001-03-23) 23 March 2001 (age 24) Flag of Kuwait.svg Al-Salmiya
1 GK Abdulrahman Kameel (2001-03-08) 8 March 2001 (age 24) Flag of Kuwait.svg Al-Kuwait

2 DF Abdulrahman Al-Daihani (2001-01-21) 21 January 2001 (age 24) Flag of Kuwait.svg Al-Qadsia
2 DF Khaled Al-Fadhli (2002-02-23) 23 February 2002 (age 23) Flag of Kuwait.svg Al-Qadsia
2 DF Saleh Faisal (2003-09-18) 18 September 2003 (age 21) Flag of Kuwait.svg Kazma
2 DF Sultan Al-Faraj (2001-06-16) 16 June 2001 (age 24) Flag of Kuwait.svg Al-Kuwait
2 DF Mohsen Ghareeb (2004-11-11) 11 November 2004 (age 20) Flag of Kuwait.svg Al-Kuwait
2 DF Youssef Al-Haqqan (2002-02-05) 5 February 2002 (age 23) Flag of Kuwait.svg Al-Qadsia
2 DF Abdulrahman Karam (2001-03-15) 15 March 2001 (age 24) Flag of Kuwait.svg Al-Arabi
2 DF Faisal Al-Shatti (2002-05-19) 19 May 2002 (age 23) Flag of Kuwait.svg Al-Qadsia

3 MF Hussain Ashkanani (2002-01-26) 26 January 2002 (age 23) Flag of Kuwait.svg Al-Arabi
3 MF Abdullah Al-Awadi (2001-09-17) 17 September 2001 (age 23) Flag of Kuwait.svg Al-Qadsia
3 MF Mahdi Dashti (2001-10-26) 26 October 2001 (age 23) Flag of Kuwait.svg Al-Salmiya
3 MF Fahad Al-Fadhli (2001-02-04) 4 February 2001 (age 24) Flag of Kuwait.svg Kazma
3 MF Bader Al-Mutairi (2003-09-26) 26 September 2003 (age 21) Flag of Kuwait.svg Al-Arabi
3 MF Montaser Suleiman (2005-05-17) 17 May 2005 (age 20) Flag of Kuwait.svg Kazma

4 FW Abdulaziz Asaad (2002-01-28) 28 January 2002 (age 23) Flag of Kuwait.svg Al-Jahra
4 FW Salman Al-Awadi (2001-05-21) 21 May 2001 (age 24) Flag of Kuwait.svg Al-Arabi
4 FW Muath Al-Enezi (2001-10-26) 26 October 2001 (age 23) Flag of Kuwait.svg Al-Salmiya
4 FW Jarah Al-Hilali (2004-02-29) 29 February 2004 (age 21) Flag of Kuwait.svg Kazma
4 FW Ibrahim Kameel (2002-06-10) 10 June 2002 (age 23) Flag of Kuwait.svg Al-Kuwait
4 FW Talal Al-Qaissi (2002-06-21) 21 June 2002 (age 23) Flag of Kuwait.svg Kazma
4 FW Abdulrahman Al-Rashidi (2004-01-12) 12 January 2004 (age 21) Flag of Kuwait.svg Al-Nasr
4 FW Hamad Al-Taweel (2001-07-26) 26 July 2001 (age 24) Flag of Kuwait.svg Khaitan

Coaching staff

NameRole
Head coach Flag of Portugal (official).svg Emílio Peixe
Assistant coach Flag of Portugal (official).svg Francisco Gouvela
Flag of Portugal (official).svg Paulo Vieira
Flag of Portugal (official).svg Vasco Pereira
Goalkeeper coach Flag of Portugal (official).svg Tiago Manta
Fitness coach Flag of Portugal (official).svg Jose Vasconcelos
Match analyst Flag of Kuwait.svg Hamed Al-Mutairi
Team doctor Flag of Portugal (official).svg Joao Pedro Pinho
Physiotherapist Flag of Portugal (official).svg Ricardo Couto
Masseur Flag of Kuwait.svg Alfan Al Beshar
Team manager Flag of Kuwait.svg Ahmed Saad
Technical director Flag of Portugal (official).svg Diogo Rebelo

See also

References

  1. "Bangladesh U23 vs. Kuwait U23 - 27 October 2021 - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 2021-10-30.
  2. "Kuwait U23 vs Saudi Arabia U23 free livescore and video stream(2021/10/30) - AiScore Football LiveScore". m.aiscore.com. Retrieved 2021-10-30.
  3. "قائمة لاعبي منتخبنا الوطني الأولمبي لنهائيات كأس آسيا تحت 23 في قطر" [List of players of our Olympic national team for the AFC U-23 Cup finals in Qatar]. Twitter (in Arabic). Kuwait Football Association. 4 April 2024.